BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third term at a star-studded gala at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. Industrialists, Bollywood actors and other prominent personalities attended the oath-taking ceremony.

Eknath Shinde was sworn in as one of Fadnavis’s two deputies, capping a 24-hour suspense over whether the Shiv Sena chief would be part of the Mahayuti 2.0 government. NCP’s Ajit Pawar also took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top Union Ministers and several Chief Ministers were part of the grand swearing-in ceremony that also flaunted the biggest names from business, entertainment and sports as attendees.

This will be Devendra Fadnavis’s third stint as Chief Minister. He first served in the top post from October 2014 to November 2019, becoming the youngest Chief Minister of the state at the age of 44. His second stint, however, lasted only five days, from November 23 to 28, 2019, as the undivided Shiv Sena walked out of an alliance with the BJP.

Ahead of the oath ceremony, Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant ended uncertainty over Eknath Shinde’s role in the Mahayuti 2.0. “We had a discussion with Devendra Fadnavis, who provided us with a letter confirming that Shinde will join him as deputy CM. I am here to submit it to the governor,” Samant said.